Search

Background Muscles affected by postparetic synkinesis have imbalanced tonicity that limit perioral mimetic movement and inhibit the ability to smile. The depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle has been a common myectomy target for the treatment of perioral synkinesis. While addition of buccinator myectomies to DAO myectomies has risen, no studies have analyzed the effects of buccinator myectomies. The goal of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of a DAO myectomy with and without concomitant buccinator myectomy through objective facial metrics and subjective patient-reported outcomes. Methods This study is a retrospective review of patients with postparetic synkinesis who underwent DAO myectomy (DAO myectomy group) or DAO myectomy with buccinator myectomy (DAO + Buccinator myectomies group). Outcomes included postoperative differences in objective smile measures (smile angle, excursion, and dental show) using validated software and patient-reported outcomes using the Facial Disability Index (FDI) questionnaire and a myectomy-specific questionnaire. Results After chart review, 18 patients were included in the DAO myectomy group and 19 in the DAO + Buccinator myectomies group. There were no significant postoperative differences between the groups in (1) smile excursion, angle, or dental show at resting, closed smile, or open smile (p > 0.05), (2) FDI physical and social scores, p = 0.198 and 0.932, respectively, or (3) myectomy-specific questionnaire responses (p > 0.05). Conclusion The addition of a buccinator myectomy to a DAO myectomy does not provide significant clinical benefit when compared with an isolated DAO myectomy, based on objective measures and subjective patient-reported outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background  Postparalytic synkinesis presents with a combination of hypo- and hypertonic muscles, leading to facial asynchrony with animation and at rest. One ubiquitous finding is a hypertonic depressor anguli oris (DAO) muscle and a weak depressor labii inferioris (DLI) muscle. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of DAO myectomy with or without its transfer to the weakened DLI in improving critical components of the dynamic smile. Methods  From 2018 to 2020, this single-center, prospective study included of postparetic facial synkinetic patients with evidence of DAO hypertonicity who underwent DAO myectomy with or without transfer to DLI. Objective facial measurements were used to compare the effectiveness of DAO to DLI transfer to pure DAO myectomy in improving asymmetry of the synkinetic hemiface. Results  Twenty-one patients with unilateral postparetic facial synkinesis with DAO hypertonicity were included; 11 underwent DAO myectomy, while 10 underwent DAO to DLI transfer. Baseline demographics and facial measurements were similar between the groups. DAO myectomy resulted in increased modiolus resting position, closed-mouth smile modiolus angle and excursion, open-mouth smile modiolus angle, excursion, dental show, and decreased lower lip height deviation. DAO to DLI transfer demonstrated similar findings but lacked significant increase in excursion and resulted in worsened lower lip height deviation. Conclusion  These findings illustrate the utility of DAO myectomy in improving imbalance in the synkinetic patient and necessitate further technical refinements for DAO transfers or a different approach for improving lower lip depression in this subgroup of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]